Lieselot Decroix wraps up her 2006 Road season

Lieselot Decroix just sent a message to let us know she just now finished off her season on the road over in Belgium.

On Sept 24 she took 2nd place in the Jemeppe, Belgie dames elite race in her Bella colors.

With both sadness and excitement Lieselot has signed with Lotto-Belisol which is a UCI trade team near her home and not far from where she is attending college. Lotto-Belisol is also where Christine Vardaros headed last year.
Like Christine, Lieselot will always remain a Velo Bella at heart but race professionally for another team.



We were so happy to have Lieselot on the team this last year and giving her that first pro opportunity. I think we figured she could learn a lot from racing with our team, and it turned out we learned a lot from racing with her!

We wish her the best of luck in her career as a pro rider in Europe and know she has incredible talent and heart and is one of the sweetest gals we know. Which is what we know makes the best champions of all.


Shine on little Bella!

2006 Velo Bella Pro Team Cross Frame

Friday, October 13th, 2006

There is still time for you to purchase your own 2006 Jake the Snake Cyclocross frame in Team colors! The frames are GORGEOUS and made of Easton Ultralite aluminum so they are super light, strong and durable.

Frame Geometry can be found here:

http://www.konaworld.com/bikes/2k7/JAKETHESNAKE/index.html

Besides, who wouldn't want a kitty and our logo on their bike?

USGP #1 and #2

What a beautiful weekend in Gloucester!

If you have never been to Massachusetts in the fall, you should go. Gorgeous colors as the trees begin to shed their leaves, few tourists and PLENTY o’ bike racing…

Almost 70 women started each day which is more than I can recall ever lining up before. Cyclocross is truly taking off here in the US and there were at least as many spectators (not just racers) attending the Gloucester races as there were at most of the NORBAs this year. What a fantastic scene!

The Velo Bella tent was BY FAR the most colorful and commented on set-up at the race with streamers, grass skirting and gorgeous bikes hanging on the Ultimate Support racks up front. The beautiful bike racers didn’t hurt either!

While Lyne Bessette, Wendy Simms and Georgia Gould battled for podium positions on both days, the true sensation of the weekend was Dee Dee “Grasshopper” Winfield of the Bellas. Dee Dee lives in Charlottesville, VA and is a natural born locomotive… She was pregnant last year, and so her starting position on Sunday was anything but spectacular, nonetheless, in three laps she powered past almost the entire field and had the announcers, pit crews and spectators saying, “Who is THAT?” Oh, she’s just a Bella bike racer who has already won two events this season; including dropping Georgia Gould at the Charm City Cross race in Baltimore a few weeks ago… Grasshopper’s latest race report can be read here…

Fact is, all the girls did a fantastic job of representing themselves, the Velo Bella organization, our sponsors and their products. Dee Dee merely stood out because no one (but me) expected her to do what she did. Keep an eye on the results this year, the Grasshopper will be hopping all the way to Providence…

Alex

And now, YOUR 2006 VB-K Professional Cross Team

VELO BELLA – KONA ANNOUNCES 2006 WOMEN’S ELITE CYCLOCROSS TEAM

The Velo Bella - Kona women are back for another year of flinging dirt and spreading mayhem across the cyclocross circuit. And, now they’ve gone bi -coastal. For the third year in a row, the nation’s largest all female cyclocross team will spread the Bella vibe around the Crank Brother’s US Grand Prix of Cyclocross, US Cyclocross Nationals and at over 60 local races across the US.

“Velo Bella is dedicated to providing a place for women to ride their bikes, race their bikes, and above all, get muddy in a skinsuit. With continued membership growth across the US, we felt it necessary to create a bi-coastal cyclocross team to mentor and inspire our members wherever they are. That and there just isn’t enough mud here in California” said Team Co Founder, Sabine Dukes.

The 2006 Elite Velo Bella-Kona Cyclocross Team will consist of ten riders from around the United States. Roistering dry California sand will be Sarah Kerlin, Barb Howe and Ann Fitzsimmons. Sarah (Capitola, CA) was the 2004 US National Cyclocross Champion, 30-34, and 2004 US National Team member. Barb Howe (Larkspur, CA) has won numerous UCI races here in the US and was a National Team Member in 2004 and 2005. Ann Fitzsimmons (Morgan Hill, CA) rose through the Velo Bella ranks as a beginner a few years ago to place 12th at the 2005 US National Cyclocross Championships. Team veterans Erin Kassoy (Palo Alto, CA), Shannon Holden (Spokane, WA) and developmental racer Marian Jamison (Reno, NV) complete the squad.

The mud squad is led by Anna Milkowski and Melanie Swartz. Anna (New Haven, CT) has placed highly at UCI road and cyclocross races, including taking 11th at the 2005 US National Cyclocross Championships. Melanie (Reston, VA) is a rising star in the Mid-Atlantic region and ranked 6th in US for UCI points in cyclocross during 2005. Veteran Bella Jennifer Tilley (Lawrence, Kansas), Dee Dee Winfield (Charlottesville, VA) and developmental racer Stephanie White (2004 US Junior National Champion, 15-18) from Bedford, NH complete the eastern squad.

The team will be riding in sweet style with custom painted cyclocross frames from Kona Bicycles, featuring Easton stems, seatposts, bars, forks and wheels, as well as SRAM Force drive trains, Avid brakes, Chris King headsets and Selle San Marco saddles. TeamEstrogen.com sells team clothing and sexy skinsuits provided by Hincapie Sportswear, and Giro helmets and Zeal Optics protect our racers through the worst conditions possible. The ever sassy Vanderkitten clothing line will help us relax post-race, and the lovely Good Vibrations will keep our racers “safe” at the post-race parties. Pedro’s and Ultimate Support provide our mechanics with all they need to keep the team’s bikes rolling smoothly, and UC-Davis Sports Medicine ensures our athletes are ready to perform wherever they race.

Velo Bella - Kona is a non-profit, grassroots, multidiscipline cycling team based out of Watsonville, CA. Velo Bella’s contagious spirit and unique approach to women’s competitive cycling have created a following across the United States and around the world. The Bellas encourage women to cycle, no matter what their level. The distinctive Velo Bella kit can be found on recreational riders, elite level racers, and all those in between. More information on Velo Bella can be found on their website: http://www.velobella.org/.